Lid stay assembly



July 8, 1958 c. F. MURPHY 2,842,278

LID STAY ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 27, 1955 13 32 m INVENTOR C/za/Zes FMur /ag.

ATTORNEY position assumed when the lid is closed,

LID STAY ASSEMBLY Charles F. Murphy, Natick, Mass, assignor to the United States-f America as represented by the Secretary of the Army The invention described herein, if patented, may be States Patent 2,842,278 :P'etented July 18,, .1958

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' body portion 10, at the opposite longitudinal edges of the slot 11. The projectionslS have their axes extending transversely of the longitudinal slot 11, and the tops of therounded projections are preferably spaced-equidistantly from the adjacent side of the body portion 10.

The end of the body portion 10 having the opening 14 is arranged opposite one edge of ahinged coveror lid lfifor a receptacle 17, such as a trunk, box or thelike. A suitable rivet 18, pin .or the like, has .an enlarged portion 19 engaging through the opening 14, .and areducing shank portion of the rivet18isreceived by an manufactured and used by orfor the Government for governmental purposes, without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to braces or stays 'for hinged receptacle lids or the like.

An important object of the invention is toprov-ide a brace or stay, so constructed that the receptacle lid with which it is connected will be automatically releasably locked in the elevated position when raisedgand automatically released or unlocked for lowering when the user applies downward pressure to the lid. I

.A further object is to provide yielding means "forcausing the lid stay to releasably hold the receptacle lid or cover in an open position and allowing it to bereadily shifted to the closed position 'by merely operating the lid with one hand.

Afurther object isto provide novel and'simplified guide and'detent or locking means in a lid stay of the abovementioned character.

Other objects and advantages of the' 'invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming apart of'this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lid brace or-stay in its Fig. 2 is a similar view of the stay when the receptacle lid is in the opened position, 9

Fig. 3 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of the stay'and associated elements,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged edge elevational view of the lid stay and associated elements,

Fig- 5 isa transverse horizontal section on line 55 of Fig. 4,.and,

Fig. 6 is a similar section taken on line 6-.6 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the

numeral 10 designates generally the body portion of my "elongated brace or stay, which is preferably formed from a unitary section of heavy sheet metal, plate stock or the like. The body portion 10 is substantially ,flat throughout its entire lengthand is provided at its transverse center with an elongated longitudinal slot 11 extending throughout a majorcportion ofthe length of the body portion 10, as shown. One end 12 of the slot 11 may terminate short of the corresponding end of body portion 10, as shown, while the opposite end 13 of the slot terminates close to the corresponding end of the body portion. The oppositeends of the body portion 10 and slot 11 are preferably rounded, as shown. At its end nearest the slot end 12, the body portion 10 has an opening 14 formed therethrough for apurpose to be. described. Near and inwardly of the slot end13, the body portion 10 is struck or otherwise formed to provide a pair of laterally opposed substantially cylindrical rounded projections 15, which project somewhat beyond one side of the opening 21 formed through the adjacentedge portion.22 of the lid 16, Fig. 5. The rivet 18 .isheaded as at 23,

and a .pair of flat washers 24 are preferably interposed between the lid portion 22, head-23, and .body portion. :10, as best shown in Fig. 5. Through the medium of the rivet ,18 and associated elements, the brace or stay has one end pivotally connected with the lid 16a suitable distance forwardly of its hinge 25.

The. adjacent side wall of thereceptacle 17 is provided near its upper edge and forwardly of the hinge 2'5 with an opening 26, receiving therethrough a suitable ,pin 27. This pin has an enlarged portion 23 engaging slidably within the slot 11 and preferably having a smooth running fit therein. A substantiallyflat rectangular keeper plate 29 is arranged at the outer side of the body portion '10 for sliding contact therewith, and this keeper plate has an opening 30 formed therethrough of a diameter preferably equal to the width of the slot 11, theopening 30 receiving the enlarged portion '28 of the pin 27. Outwardly of the keeperplate 29, the pin 27 has a relatively'wide .head 31 formed integrally therewith, and bearing against the outer side of the keeper plate2-9 over a major portion of its area. v

' Opposite transverse edges 32 and 33 of the keeper plate 29 are beveled and preferably rounded so as to be gradually inclined upwardly from the adjacent outer side of the body portion 10. The beveled or rounded edges 32 and 33 are adapted to engage and ride over the rounded projections 15 during the operation of the brace or. stay when the lid 16 is opened and closed. The innerface '34 of the keeper plate 29 is preferable flat andsmooth,

so as to slide freely over the outer face of the body portion 10 and over the projections 15.

The keeper plate 29 is provided at its transverse center and at its edge 33 with an integral extension or lug 35, extending substantially at right angles to the body portion of the keeper plate and inwardly thereof, in assembly, for engagement with the longitudinal slot 11. The extension 35 is freely shiftable longitudinally in the slot 11 but is adapted to'coact with the side walls of the slot to prevent the keeper plate from pivoting or turning upon the body portion 10. This arrangement maintains the beveled edges 32 and 33 substantially parallel tO'IhC rounded projections 15 and substantially at right angles to the slot 11 at all times. The keeper plate .29-may be readily rotatable upon the pint27, except thatitris restrained from rotation by the coaction of the extensions 35 and slot ll. In assembly, the free end of theextension 35 may be substantially flush with the face of the body portion 10 remote from the raised projections 15, see Fig. 4.

A pair offlat washers 36 are preferably arranged upon opposite sidesof the side wall of container 17, Fig. 6, and these washers receive pin 27. One of them is disposed between the inner face of the body portion 10. and

the outer face of the container side wall, whereas the coil spring 37 surrounds the pin 27 inwardly of the container side wall, and one end of this spring bears against I keeper plate 29, for holding the keeper plate in firm engagement with the outer side of the body portion 10. The body portion in turn bears firmly against the outer washer 36, under the influence of the spring 37. i

The stay body portion 10 is thus provided with a pivotal sliding connection with the relatively stationary pin 27, and the body portion 10 is freely slidable relative to the keeper plate 29, although the keeper plate cannot turn or pivot relative to the body portion 10. The keeper plate 29 is however freely rotatable upon the pin 27, as previously stated.

In operation, when the receptacle lid 16 is in the closed horizontal position, Fig. 1, the stay body portion 10 is disposed vertically and the pin 27 is near the end 12 of the slot 11, as shown. The extension or lug 35 is in engagement with the slot 11 so that the keeper plate 29 cannot turn relative to the body portion 10 but may slide freely longitudinally of the slot 11.

When the lid 16 is elevated to the position of Fig. 2, i

the pin 27 will be disposed at the end 13 of the slot and the keeper plate 29 will slide over the outer face of the body portion 10 until its beveled edge 32 contacts the rounded projections 15. When this occurs, aslightly' increased upward force on the lid 16 will cause the keeper plate 29 to ride over the projections 15, and the spring 37 will be compressed somewhat to permit this. After passing over the projections 15, the keeper plate 29 will be arranged below the projections, as best shown in Fig. 4, and the spring 37 will again hold the keeper plate in firm engagement with the outer face of the body portion 10. The projections 15 will now cooperate with the keeper plate 29 to releasably lock the lid ;16 in the elevated or open position.

When it is desired to lower the lid 16, it is merely necessary to exert a downward force upon the lid sufi'icient to cause the beveled edge 33 of the keeper plate to ride up over the projections 15, and the spring 37 will again yield to allow the keeper plate 29 to pass bodily over the projections 15 in the opposite direction, and subsequently firmly engage the outer side of the body portion 10 beyond the projections 15. The lid 16 will then readily close by gravity.

It is thus seen that a novel and simplified automatically operating brace or stay is provided which will maintain a receptacle cover or lid releasably locked in the open position and yet permit the closing of the lid with one hand by merely applying a downward force thereon. There are no parts to be adjusted or regulated, and the lid is operable with one hand, and the locking and unlocking action of the stay is entirely automatic. While I have shown and described the brace or stay in connection with a receptacle 17 of the box or trunk type, itshould be understood that the stay may be used with equal facility at various applications such as on the trunk lid of an automotive vehicle, refrigerator locker lid or the like.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A lid stay for a container lid or the like comprising a bar having a longitudinal slot and adapted for connection with the lid, a projection formed upon one side the like, a pin for connection of said bar near one end of said slot, a keeper element slidably contacting said one side of said bar and having a portion adapted to engage and pass over said projection during movement of the lid between open and closed positions, an element fixed to said keeper element and engaging in the longitudinal slot in said bar to maintain the said portion of said keeper element in a predetermined position of alignment with respect to said projection, keeper anchoring means projecting through said slot and adapted for attachment to the body of said container or the like and resilient means cooperating with said anchoring means to urge the keeper element toward said one side of the bar to cooperate with said keeper anchoring means in constraining said bar for predetermined endwise movement during opening or closing movement of said lid.

2. A device of the character described comprising an elongated member having a longitudinal slot, projection means carried by said member near one end of the slot on one side of the member, means for pivotally connecting one end of said member to a hinged container lid or with the body portion of the container and extending slidably through said slot and having a head spaced beyond the side of said member having the projection means, a keeper plate mounted upon said pin between said head and side of the member having the projection means and having beveled edges adapted to ride over the projection means when the pin moves longitudinally through the slot, 21 lug secured to the keeper plate and engaging the slot and serving to prevent the keeper plate from turning relative to said member and maintaining said edges of the keeper plate substantially at right angles to the slot, and a spring connected with the pin and urging it in a direction causing the head of the pin to hold the keeper plate in firm sliding engagement with the side of the member having the projection means.

3. Stay means for the hinged lid of a container comprising a bar having an elongated slot formed therethrough, a pair of transversely opposed rounded projections struck from said bar near and inwardly of one end of the slot and projecting beyond one side of the bar and having a common axis substantially at right angles to said slot, means for pivotally securing one end of the bar to the hinged lid, a pin secured to the container and extending through the slot and shiftable longitudinally of the slot and rotatable therein and having a head spaced from the side of the bar having said projections, a keeper plate mounted upon said pin between the head and said side of the bar and slidable upon said side of the bar and having a pair of transverse beveled edges adapted to engage and ride over the rounded projections when the pin moves longitudinally of the slot, an element carried by the keeper plate and extending into said slot to prevent the keeper plate from turning relative to the bar and maintaining the beveled edges substantially parallel with the common axis of said projections, and a spring connected with said pin and urging the pin in a direction causing the head of the pin to hold the keeper plate firmly against said side of the bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 906,514 Dengler Dec. 15, 1908 1,338,571 Kelly Apr. 27, 1920 2,723,776 Jacobson Nov. 15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 116,210 Great Britain June 6, 1918 201,781 Great Britain Aug. 9,,1923 

